Venture Adds Managers for Plasma Enhanced Melter Gasification

InEnTec Chemical LLC has appointed Gary E. McDow executive vice president Business Development and Alan Saggers as plant manager of InEnTec Chemical Midland, a facility located at Dow Corning's Midland, Mich., site scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of this year.

InEnTec Chemical, a recently formed joint venture between InEnTec LLC and Lakeside Energy LLC, will build, own, and operate commercial Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEMâ„¢) gasification facilities that will convert both hazardous and non-hazardous chemical residuals into useful chemical products and clean fuels or energy.

McDow has spent over 22 years at Air Liquide America where he held several senior management positions including most recently serving as vice president/Hydrogen Ventures.

Saggers will manage the Plasma Enhanced Melter plant that is currently under construction. A 21-year Dow Chemical veteran, Saggers adds extensive experience in plant optimization and process control, environmental, health and safety management, production planning, and plant start-up best practices.

PEMâ„¢ gasification technology utilizes a combination of plasma and glass melting technology to convert chemical waste streams, including hazardous waste, into useful chemical products and an ultra-clean, high-quality synthesis gas (syngas) that can be a substitute for natural gas or converted into hydrogen or liquid transportation fuels.

"Hazardous chemical waste need no longer be a disposal problem; it can be a valuable feedstock," said David Farmer, InEnTec Chemical president and chief operating officer.

Dow Corning signed a long-term contract with InEnTec Chemical to convert chlorinated organic residuals into aqueous hydrogen chloride (HCl) and clean synthesis gas, a replacement for natural gas used to produce steam. The products will then be reused by Dow Corning in its Midland operations. The plant is expected to produce more than 10 million pounds per year of HCl and 11 million BTU's per hour of syngas.